La Torre not appetizing

The atmosphere of La Torre is appealing. Decorated with bright paper banners and tiled walls, the interior of the restaurant is deceiving. You might think you're in for a treat, but you'll be wrong. \nOur service at La Torre, 1155 S. College Mall Road, was mediocre at best. Our drinks were filled, but our server did not attend to other needs, such as refilling our tortilla chips. In addition, a loud banging on the other side of the wall next to our table constantly disturbed our meal.\nWe arrived about half an hour before closing time, purely by accident, although the restaurant was still full when we were seated. We have both worked in restaurants, and understand how frustrating it is to have customers stay past closing time. After all, all the servers want to do is go home. But that is not an excuse for the loud cleaning, banging and yelling that went on around us before our meal was finished.\nAppetizers\nSometimes known as chili con queso, La Torre instead offers "cheese dip" for $2.49. Its spiciness was medium. It was runny and could've been thicker. Overall, the cheese dip was average.\nWe sampled the bean dip for $2.29. It was served in a much larger bowl than the cheese dip, yet was cheaper. The bean dip itself was bland, but it was served topped with cheese dip, which, when mixed, made for a pleasant taste and temperature.\nWe might have eaten more of our appetizers, but we quickly ran out of chips and never received a refill. So our cheese and bean dips sat mostly uneaten in their bowls until we gave up and started eating them with our silverware.\nEntrees\nWe sampled the chicken fajitas for $8.99. The meat, as well as a generous portion of grilled vegetables, was served barely steaming on a platter. Another plate featured rice, sour cream, lettuce, refried beans and a few other toppings. Although it is always an adventure to assemble one's own food, La Torre's version left something to be desired. The meat and vegetables were tasteless, while the rice and refried beans were somewhat colder than they should have been.\nThe beef enchiladas were served with a mild "special sauce," which was runny but mixed well with the dish. Served a la carte for $1.89 per enchilada, they were piping hot; we had to wait for them to cool before eating. The meat was well seasoned and the tortilla shell was just right. It was one of the better enchiladas we have tasted.\nDessert\nWe sampled one of the most common dessert choices available at Mexican restaurants -- the fried ice cream, which cost $2.49. Topped with a cherry and a generous portion of whipped cream, it tasted like a sundae served in a tortilla shell. It was nothing spectacular, and seemed like something anyone could make at home.\nWe also sampled the sopapilla, which cost 99 cents. The tortilla was overcooked and too crunchy; it shattered whenever we tried to bite or cut into it. The tortilla's only topping was a bland drizzle of honey, which added nothing to the burnt flavor. This dessert was thoroughly disappointing.\nOverall\nWith so many good Mexican restaurants in town, competition is fierce.\nWe don't plan on visiting La Torre again any time in the near future. Our food was mediocre at best, and we were not impressed with the service we received. The only bright spot of our meal was the colorful tiles on the wall, but unfortunately, that doesn't make a restaurant worth visiting twice.